BREAKING! Crews Battling House Fire At Mount Hutton

 BY IAN CROUCH

Fire crews have been called to a house fire at Mount Hutton in the early hours of Thursday morning

Firefighters from Tingira Heights, Cardiff, Charlestown, Belmont, Lambton were called to the two storey brick and tile home in Warners Bay Road at 4.19am on Thursday to find the home well alight.

Newcastle Fire Command says the house appears to be derelict and abandoned.

It's taken about an hour to bring the blaze under control, with firefighting operations wrapping up at 6.00am.

Crews had to contend with the collapse of the roof and partial collapse of a wall. 

Police and Fire Investigators will look into the cause of the fire.

Statewide Firearm Blitz Sees Two Men Arrested In The Hunter

 BY IAN CROUCH

Police have raided several properties across the Hunter, seizing 80 firearms and 30,000 rounds of ammunition as part of a coordinated operation across the state.

Operation Pendula involving the Raptor squad, focused on people with links to organised crime or outlaw motorcycle gangs.

Officers swooped on properties at West Wallsend, Mount Hutton and Greta as part of the statewide crackdown, revoking nine firearm licences and suspending five others.

A 50-year-old man from Greta has been charged after police allegedly located a firearm with a silencer attached to it - he's due to face Belmont Court on November 8.

A 34-year-old Mount Hutton man will face Cessnock court on November 8 after police say a slingshot was found on his property - he's also been charged with not keeping a firearm safely.

Some of the haul of firearms and ammunition seized during raids across NSW

Body Found At Belmont Wetlands Believed To Be Missing Man John Davidson

 BY IAN CROUCH

Police believe human remains found at the weekend are those of missing Lake Macquarie man, John Davidson.

The 72-year-old was last seen at his Mount Hutton home on November 7 last year.

Since then, several searches have been undertaken in a bid to find him.

On Saturday 1 July, a couple walking their dog in thick bushland in the Belmont Wetlands found human remains and personal belongings near the Kalaroo Road fire trails.

Forensic testing is under way to confirm the identity of  the remains and a report is being prepared for the Coroner.

John Davidson

UPDATE! Crews Battling Villa Fire At Mount Hutton And Second Fire At Cardiff Heights

 BY IAN CROUCH

Firefighters are mopping up after fire tore through a single level villa at Mount Hutton on Tuesday morning.

9 fire trucks and more than 30 firefighters arrived just after 9.15am at the Cowmeadow Road address to find the villa totally involved in fire and the roof starting to collapse.

The sole male occupant self evacuated and was assessed by paramedics at the scene but was not taken to hospital, while a dog was rescued from the rear of the property.

Neighbours on either side were also evacuated due to the intensity of the fire.

Meanwhile, Fire and Rescue NSW says 20 firefighters were called to another house fire in Main Road at Cardiff  Heights just after 10.00am to find smoke issuing from the front window of a weatherboard home.

All the occupants managed to self-evacuate, however an elderly woman is in the care of paramedics.

Crews took about 15 minutes to douse the flames which were contained to the front of the home.

The cause of both fires is not known at this stage. 

Fire and Rescue NSW spokesman, Stephen Brown said the fires serve as a timely reminder for residents to ensure they have working smoke alarms in their homes.

 EARLIER:

Emergency services have been called to a house fire at Mount Hutton.

Newcastle Fire Command says they received 18 triple-zero calls just after 9.15am on Tuesday reporting a villa on Cowmeadow Road well alight.

The roof of the villa has since collapsed.

Six fire trucks and a Duty Commander are at the scene, and the Ladder Platform from Newcastle is on the way.

There's no word yet on whether anyone is inside the villa.

Smoke from the fire can be seen several suburbs away. 

Serious concerns for man missing from Mount Hutton

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Police are appealing for public assistance to locate an elderly man missing in Lake Macquarie. 

John Davidson, aged 72, was last seen at a home on Tennent Road at Mount Hutton, about 9am on Monday 7 November 2022. 

Police and family hold serious concerns for his welfare as he lives with dementia. 

John is described as being of Caucasian appearance, about 175cm tall, with medium build and grey hair. 

He may have been wearing jeans and white joggers. 

John is known to go on regular walks in the Mount Hutton, Charlestown and Gateshead areas, but usually returned home of his own accord.

Anyone with information into his whereabouts is urged to contact Lake Macquarie Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Siege Ends Peacefully At Mount Hutton

BY IAN CROUCH

A siege at Mount Hutton has ended peacefully with a man surrendering to police.

Police say the 31-year-old called officers to his home in Warners Bay Road at about 11.00am on Monday.

They arrived to find him on the roof and refusing to come down.

Officers negotiated with him for more than three hours before he surrendered without incident.

He was taken to the Psychiatric Care Unit at the Calvary Mater Hospital for treatment.

 

Police Appeal For Help After Fail To Stop Crash At Mount Hutton

BY IAN CROUCH

Police are appealing for dashcam footage following a fail to stop crash at Mount Hutton which has left a man in hospital with serious injuries.

Just before 1.30pm yesterday, a 70-year-old man was driving his Ford Falcon ute and box trailer northbound on the Newcastle Inner City Bypass when he pulled over under the Warners Bay Road underpass to cover the load as it started to rain.

However, he was struck by a large white truck which failed to stop.

The man suffered rib fractures and possible chest and leg injuries - he remains in a serious by stable condition in the John Hunter Hospital.

Anyone who witnessed the crash is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Man questioned over hammer attack at Mount Hutton; expected to be charged

BY LAUREN FREEMANTLE

Belmont Police are currently questioning a 54-year-old man over a suspected hammer attack at Mount Hutton last night.

It's understood the man may have broken into a home on Kestrel Avenue around 3am before striking a 59-year-old man in the head with a hammer.

The victim sustained non-life threatening injuries and was taken to the John Hunter Hospital. 

The man of interest was arrested at the scene and is expected to be charged with attempted murder later today.